Governance Advisor

This role offers an opportunity to support the Monitoring Officer of Sutton Council and provide independent guidance on Code of Conduct complaints submitted against councillors.

The expected time commitment is around 1-2 hours per week, dependent on the number of complaints received. The council aims to maintain a small panel of independent persons to share the workload and ensure impartiality.

• Providing advice to the Monitoring Officer on allegations of councillor misconduct;
• Sharing views on complaints with councillors when necessary;
• Attending meetings of the Code of Conduct Panel and council committees (reasonable expenses paid);

As an independent person, you will work closely with the Monitoring Officer and other officers in reviewing Code of Conduct complaints. You will not be a council employee but will enjoy a supportive environment to grow and develop your skills.

Reasonable expenses will be covered, and as a voluntary position, you will not be expected to adhere to a specific schedule. Communication with the Monitoring Officer and other officers will be via phone and/or email when your advice is sought.

To succeed in this role, it is essential that you are familiar with the Seven Principles of Public Life (the 'Nolan Principles'). It is desirable that you have previous experience as an Independent Person or qualifications/experience in legal or governance matters.

Please note that an Independent Person cannot be a member, co-opted member, or officer of Sutton Council nor have been one in the last five years. Additionally, they cannot be a relative or close friend of someone who fulfils these criteria.

We value and nurture talent, offering a supportive, friendly, and collaborative environment for our staff. As an organisation constantly striving to improve, we encourage employees to put forward their ideas for growth and development.

Our flexible working environment allows staff to work from various locations, supported by our IT infrastructure. We offer a range of benefits, including annual leave entitlement, flexi-time, volunteering days, learning and development programmes, local and national discounts, interest-free season ticket loans, and more.